The present invention relates to the disposal of personal hygiene products. More specifically, the invention relates to a portable product used to dispose a used sanitary article such as a sanitary napkin, incontinence pad, etc.
Many people are faced with the challenge of disposing used sanitary articles in a discrete and efficient manner. Personal hygiene products such as incontinence pads and condoms are difficult to dispose of. Women, in particular, are faced with very personal challenges when they need to dispose of feminine products away from home. Women will often resort to wrapping the used sanitary napkin or tampon in an awkward bundle of toilet tissue. This does not provide a secure wrapping. More often than not, restrooms in restaurants, stores, and in places of work do not have convenient waste receptacles in the toilet stalls. Even when such receptacles are provided, many women choose not to use them, for health and/or safety reasons. If she is in the home of a friend, the pad cannot be flushed, and leaving it in the friend""s waste container will create an unpleasant odor. In this case, she may tuck the bundle of toilet tissue into her purse to carry it until she gets home.
Methods and products to dispose of used sanitary napkins are known in the art. The most common product available is the Sanibag(trademark), manufactured by Beier and Company, which is sometimes provided in public restrooms. The Sanibag is formed as a relatively long, rectangular bag with an open top, which provides a narrow opening for receiving the sanitary napkin. Unfortunately, the Sanibag is awkward to work with due to its design, and seals poorly. In other known products, the disposal product is directly attached to the pad itself, but this creates an undesirable bulkiness when worn.